Do the New York Rangers have a chance at winning next year’s Stanley Cup?
13 Aug 2023 | eurohockey.com
After a first-round exit to the New Jersey Devils to end the 2022/23 season, the New York Rangers are looking to build a competitive roster once again to go out and challenge for the 2023/24 Stanley Cup.
The New York Rangers are one of the most
iconic franchises in the NHL and have four Stanley Cup titles to their name.
While NHL bettors in NY
pick a new app every NHL season they can find some great offers which may
tempt them int backing the Rangers.
Their tie with the new Jersey Devils went
to game seven last year started incredibly for the Rangers. They won the first
two games 5-1 over the Devils to give themselves a series lead.
The Devils turned the tables though with
three wins of their won to take the advantage in the series. New York Rangers
pulled a game back to take it to game seven, but The Devils shut out the
Rangers in a 4-0 win to progress as series winners.
What was most notable was the lack of
offense from the Rangers in the final game of the series. This came after
scoring 15 goals in their three wins previously. Defensively the team crumbled
as well and left a lot for goalie Igor Shesterkin to do alone.
Having reached the Eastern Conference Final
the year before, they came nowhere close last season, and changes have been
imperative this off season to put things right, and these could take the Rangers
back to Stanley Cup triumph.
Change on the Bench

Head coach Gerard Gallant was relieved of
his duties after the disappointing end to the season as has been replaced by
Peter Laviolette.
There have been mixed reviews about how
Laviolette has handled the development of young players from his time in
Washington, but he has had praise at former clubs in Carolina and Nashville.
Laviolette needs to ensure his younger
players are stepping up and making the leap with some short-term veteran
signings being brought in to help push the New York Rangers back into the
Stanley Cup frame.
“Those young
players need an opportunity to grow and in the framework of a team, everyone
wants to feel like they’re contributing,”
It will be important for the players, as
well the supporters, that this continues to happen for their young stars, and
that any signs of struggle aren’t met with an instant drop in minutes on the
ice.
Key Players
·
K’Andre
Miller
Entering his fourth season, the talented
young defenseman who was drafted with the 22nd overall pick in 2018
will be looking to break out this year.
He has shown a more offensive games at
times which has cost him in the defensive transition, but his potential is
undeniable.
·
Alexis Lafrenière
After getting Miller to commit, Lafrenière
became the next priority for President and General Manager Chris Drury.
The first overall pick of the 2020 NHL
Draft registered 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 81 games last season.
The 21-year-old Canadian from Quebec is a
dangerous winger looking to emerge this season as the player everyone knows he
can be.
While he yet to hit the heights his talent
and potential suggests, this season will be a big one for Lafrenière as he
looks to repay the faith the New York Rangers put in him taking him first in
the draft.
·
Kaapo Kakko
The Finnish wonderkid is entering his fifth
season and partners Lafrenière as a winger to make a deadly duo should they
both take the next step this season.
He has averaged just 0.41 points per game
since being drafted, but last season was his best return with 18 goals and 40
points in 82 matches.
With a number of trade deadline
acquisitions leaving, incluing Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, this
highlights that Kakko and Lafrenière will be key pieces in the New York Rangers
attack this season.
“Get some power
play time and also play more, that’s the next step,” Kaako said on breakup day. “There were some good things in the o-zone, staying with the
puck close to the net and getting some chances. That’s my game.”
Strengths of the roster
·
Goaltending depth
The New York Rangers have a fantastic duo of
Igor Shesterkin and Jonathon Quick.
Shesterkin is a highly talented goaltender who
kept his side in games they maybe should have been out of last season.
Quick has bags of experience and success in
the NHL which also makes him a reliable backup that combines well to give the
Rangers some envied depth in this position.
·
Experienced additions
While they have some exciting young stars,
players like Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino, Tyler Pitlick and Erik Gustafsson have
arrived to bring more experience to the group.
Additions like Wheeler provide support off the
ice as well as contributing on it. This should help settle the young players as
well as make the Ranger more consistent in 2023/24.